A brief history of the events that brought about the first downfall of Yerushalayim. What caused the Jewish people to lose the Holy City, and what can we learn from those events about what is taking place in Eretz Yisroel today?

Kiddush Lavana is a time of joy, and many of its halachot and customs reflect this. So can a mourner say Kiddush Lavana? We are supposed to enjoy the light of the moon as part of the reason for the blessing, but do we look at the moon while reciting Kiddush Lavana?

In the middle of the Pesach Seder, we recite Hallel; in the middle of Hallel, we interrupt to eat. How can we interrupt Hallel in the middle? Also: There are two special changes in Maariv for Pesach: many communities recite Hallel, and there is no Kiddush in shul.

Halachot for situations when you are unsure whether to observer Purim on the 14th or 15th of Adar, including questionably walled cities, and an introduction to people who travel to or from walled cities for Purim.

On Rosh Chodesh Chanukah, we read from two sifrei Torah. But how do we divide up the aliyot between Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah? Also: what if we accidentally take out only one sefer Torah or begin reading from the wrong sefer Torah?

After Yom Kippur, we rush to do several mitzvot, among them building the sukkah. We also leave out tachnun as the days until Sukkos have a quasi Yom Tov status. What is the connection between these themes?

We eliminate several prayers on Erev Yom Kippur, including LaMinatzeach, Mizmor L'Todah, and Tachnun -- though each is eliminated for a different reason. Slichot are shortened and Avinu Malkeinu is skipped.

What is an Eruv Tavshilin? When, why, and how do we make an Eruv Tavshilin? Isn't this just a "legal loophole" -- if cooking is forbidden, how does the Eruv help, and if it is permitted, what is the point of the Eruv?

Join Rav Dovid for a corporate "Lunch and Learn" discussion on relating to the High Holidays in our modern times. What makes the Yomim Noraim relevant for us today? Is this just a bunch of "New Year's Resolutions" that, like all other such resolutions, will be forgotten within days of Yom Kippur? How should we relate to Rosh HaShanah, and why do these Holidays occur back-to-back on the calendar?

Selichot should be recited even without a minyan, though the 13 attributes are omitted. All of the Rosh HaShanah prayers -- including selichot -- should be prepared in advance so that they can be recited comfortably in shul. The goal is to focus on davening, not on trying to read the tefilla.

There are leniencies in the restrictions regarding haircuts during the three weeks for mourners just coming out of shloshim and for children's clothing. Also: avoiding the evil forces that lurk about during the three weeks.

If you are awake all night, does one say Birkot HaTorah the following morning? What if you slept a little? What if you wake up to learn in the middle of the night -- are brachot required prior to learning? Halachah l'ma'aseh for Shavuot.

If you add Morid HaGeshem when you shouldn't you need to correct the error. But how do you correct it? That depends on several variables -- whether you added geshem on purpose or by accident and when you realize your mistake.

Even after Pesach has ended, there are still chometz prohibitions that we must be concerned about. Chometz owned by a Jew during Pesach becomes permanently forbidden. But what if a non-Jew gives it to you? Leaves it in your home?

Keilim used with chometz that cannot be cleaned properly or that contain more than a kazayit of chometz must be given to a non-Jew. Also: toasters, cat litter made from dried corn, and the difference between Listerene and beer shampoo.

Ink and other non-foods containing chometz are not an issue to own or use, so long as the chometz was mixed in prior to Pesach. Beer, booze, and other foods, even with just a taste of chomeetz are completely forbidden.

What if you forget al hanissim in birkat hamazon? Also: what if Purim falls before or after shabbos and your meal begins in the day and continues into the night -- can you say both al hanissim and r'tzei?

In general, when we rise for the amidah we turn toward Jerusalem, which in the US means facing East. But we may also face South -- toward the Menorah, or North, toward the Table. Just what is this directionality about?

Various lesser-known aspects of Chanukah: prohibitions on eulogies and fasting; women's freedom from work while the candles are burning; the courageous acts of Yehudit, the daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, and more.

Nachem, a special prayer for Tisha B'Av is added to boneh Yerushalayim. Aneinu is added as on all fast days. There are no selichot nor is tachnun recited, both due to the fact that Tisha B'Av is a moed.

What did Moshe experience when he rose to the Heavens to receive the Torah? What do we learn from his experience? In this "Lunch and Learn Discussion", Rav Dovid discusses the Talmud's account of Moshe's experience and the many challenging issues it raises.

Five central questions of living a Jewish life: What is the Torah? Why did Hashem give it to the Jews? What is the relationship of non-Jews to the Torah? How do we know it is true? If it is true, why do so few people believe it?

Rav Dovid tells the story of Rabbi Akiva and the Ten Martyrs, rabbinic leaders killed by the Romans during the Hadrianic persecution. This emotional story lays the ground for deep theological concepts concerning Torah, martyrdom, and justice.